The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-08-12
rrickH Diamond pIggers.

we'd az .-e e ne, .aye amy coacr pFCu
e .ts Cnrrmrus loss 20 tbs legitimate
owners and workers uf the diamond
uiues caused by the tr. tHaii. stu,eI dia-
lruts--stoleu. thar -, Hy Tie native
Givvers employed in the mines and s. d
bv them 10 the illci, diamond buyers,
commonly known At ;ho Cspes as tn
81. D. b." Pursuing ;his subject,
writer I'm the New NoIk Tribune says
Before entering the claims in the
MORE fr e very native has 10 pass through
.He dressing sheds, where be must Goff
.fp Garments Of civilization which the
common law compels him TO wear ID
trc streets Of lhe 1, WI, and CON The
-a.ut.ron working dress, consisting |
simply of a breeCh-c!out and light /
straw lat. Clad 10 this any garO he |
lbct5 throughout The day, tXcavating |
tSe dismoudiferous "hlue ground, - au1 |
shor.lug IL into the huge iron tubs,
Which transport it by the ;erial tram
.f1cs .o The upper edge ol the vast crater
'-lye p,' II the mine. whence IL is carried
90 The sorting tables, spread out IN thin
layers, moistened, pulveriZed. suited and
a mined by the soTIe:s or diamond
seekers proper. All this woIk is done
under the supervision Of watchful and
pNpe,ieaced guards, quick 10 de'ect any
suspicious movement on the part of the
native digger; Yet So Sdroit has the
latter become IN his special branch Of
Ia-s.ds main that it was early found
impossible TO rely soIey on the guards
watLufuluess and accordingly every
naive, after his days work is finished,
and before he is allowed TO leave the
mine, is compelled to pass through the
searching g-sLeds, where he is submitted
.oa personal examination more minute
and complete than Is undergone by the
most 4. G.sperate criminal IN the prisu MS o.
ans civilized couutry.
On entering the searching sheds the
digger FIRST stripped to the skin, and
his aa, and breacL-clout are carefully
Examined. Next ne stands before q
window in strong light, AID the sur
face tf .is body is critically surveyed
sp,cill stJention being given To any sus
p..iyus wounds OF sores on the legs OF
elsewhere, slrce it is by no means
pulommou tor the uatlves to cultivate
c. rou,s 7Drss for the purpose Of utll Z
!ug ybeir cavities as pouches for d:a-
..uuds. or even, when they have fouu,
.usCtliy valuable stone, 10 iatlct Z
8ryere glsu on the leg with the spade,
aa il accidentally, and To slip tn,
diamond between the lips OF the wouu,
''.i..-...S-l.a q .u2--it-up,-, Next, every Kill
..Fo.Ds aui abJomen are an passed unde
'ejioN aud this superficial or exami
u@siaa IS completed by the digge
turning lis back Oh the searcher, VIII
:,tt- 4r ais feet one after the other an,
looks ard feels for possible Jewel
aetErau his t0es.
t.~ gre! m!nary inspection over, tn
.gEer is n,Xt passed over 20 a sscon,
s.I-b'r, who proceeds 10 examine th,
.s .nl7y.W uaturales whereby a con
,ra,ed diamond may have beer
conveyed below the surface Of the BODY
The saTs and nostrils are examined
with probe and spectrum; the mouth is
opened and thoroughly explored, with
ege aDi hugsr, special attention being
paid 60 any cavities i'm the teeth. The
Throat reNt explored with , laryugo-
scope. and sponge probaug is pass, d
down The gulieJ and if any traces of
blood or decorations Of the mucous
a7utsane are detected, such as might
have Hs-l produced by swallowing Az
tuE.iHr crystal, a sharp emetic is gwen
on 'ug SPOT, and "the innocent cause
rs oil 'Rss tr,ab,e" is generally recoy-
rcd
An illustration Of the skill and audac-
Ity g., he uasive Giggers I cannot do
batter than tocOscIude this short sketch
N.-h story related by gentlemen who
is one of the largest private claim hold
deg7 IN the fields" Wishing 10 test
The Hicdcy of the searching system, he
one day gave a snail diamond To one If
native diggerS, boy II wears OF age
and told a..n he would give him a sovsI
eiga j. he would pass the diamond sue
cessfr'ly through the searching sheds
emo return 1t u him. Tie boy laughed
lul readily undertook the commission
md 'Ns owner proceeded % notify the
IhJhCrjties OF his proposed experiment.
m order thst the boy, if detected, might
nc, suffer the penalty of the law but
20 his utter astouishmeut and that OF the
5eagchsys the hoy managed TO elude
.ae.r vigilance and TO earn the promised
sOYsreigr.